Uploaded January 2019 | Updated September 2026, 1 week ago
Support the show on Patreon - patreon.com/writingongames
Podcast (iTunes) - itunes.apple.com/gb/podcast/writing-on-gamescast/id1124674245?mt=2
Second Channel - youtube.com/channel/UC1xxfS_HILi09yaELQdmV1A
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Katamari Damacy, with its joyful explosion of colour and immensely satisfying mechanics, is seen as the non-violent, friendly face of video game power fantasies. But when analysing the themes of the game as well as the trajectory of its creator Keita Takahashi, I began to think that perhaps it isn't the wholly feel-good experience it appears to be—that the realisation of its power fantasy deliberately plays on some of our less desirable traits as human beings, to great effect.
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SOURCES:
The joy of Katamari Damacy (Eurogamer) - eurogamer.net/articles/2018-12-14-the-joy-of-katamari-damacy
Video games aren't about power - they're about agency (The Guardian) - theguardian.com/technology/2015/oct/16/video-games-power-agency-control
The negativity of Keita Takahashi (gamesindustry.biz) - https://www.gamesindustry.biz/articles/2018-07-05-the-negativity-of-keita-takahashi
Interview: The Melancholy of Keita Takahashi (Gamasutra) - gamasutra.com/view/news/116862/Interview_The_Melancholy_Of_Keita_Takahashi.php
Katamari was comment on consumerism (Eurogamer) - eurogamer.net/articles/katamari-was-comment-on-consumerism
Katamari Creator Denies Drug Use & Other Choice Quotes (Kotaku) - kotaku.com/katamari-creator-denies-drug-use-other-choice-quotes-5185884
Japanese industry "in decline", says Takahashi (MCV) - mcvuk.com/development/japanese-industry-in-decline-says-takahashi
Keita Takahashi (Exclusive Interview) (GamerHubTV) - youtube.com/watch?v=vZIBwzsuNRk
Keita Takahashi's 2011 Global Game Jam Keynote (Mark J. Paterson) - youtube.com/watch?v=liBUmoAwsJ4
Noby Noby Boy Keita Takahashi Interview (sceablog) - youtube.com/watch?v=LbSDdQ08bfs
noby noby boy Takahashi interview 2 (Playstation Korea) - youtube.com/watch?v=cCwHyJaenO4
GameSpot @ GDC 09: Noby Noby Boy Interview (Gamespot) - youtube.com/watch?v=jBCBi5-nQMc
DOOM footage from NVIDIA - youtube.com/watch?v=anrvBD4aTGY ---
Intro text animation by Draz: twitter.com/DrazGames
youtube.com/channel/UCd3x2o76QHYNy4Vh6rkRtfg
Production work by Nico Bleackley
Support the show on Patreon - patreon.com/writingongames
Podcast (iTunes) - itunes.apple.com/gb/podcast/writing-on-gamescast/id1124674245?mt=2
Second Channel - youtube.com/channel/UC1xxfS_HILi09yaELQdmV1A
---
Katamari Damacy, with its joyful explosion of colour and immensely satisfying mechanics, is seen as the non-violent, friendly face of video game power fantasies. But when analysing the themes of the game as well as the trajectory of its creator Keita Takahashi, I began to think that perhaps it isn't the wholly feel-good experience it appears to be—that the realisation of its power fantasy deliberately plays on some of our less desirable traits as human beings, to great effect.
---
SOURCES:
The joy of Katamari Damacy (Eurogamer) - eurogamer.net/articles/2018-12-14-the-joy-of-katamari-damacy
Video games aren't about power - they're about agency (The Guardian) - theguardian.com/technology/2015/oct/16/video-games-power-agency-control
The negativity of Keita Takahashi (gamesindustry.biz) - https://www.gamesindustry.biz/articles/2018-07-05-the-negativity-of-keita-takahashi
Interview: The Melancholy of Keita Takahashi (Gamasutra) - gamasutra.com/view/news/116862/Interview_The_Melancholy_Of_Keita_Takahashi.php
Katamari was comment on consumerism (Eurogamer) - eurogamer.net/articles/katamari-was-comment-on-consumerism
Katamari Creator Denies Drug Use & Other Choice Quotes (Kotaku) - kotaku.com/katamari-creator-denies-drug-use-other-choice-quotes-5185884
Japanese industry "in decline", says Takahashi (MCV) - mcvuk.com/development/japanese-industry-in-decline-says-takahashi
Keita Takahashi (Exclusive Interview) (GamerHubTV) - youtube.com/watch?v=vZIBwzsuNRk
Keita Takahashi's 2011 Global Game Jam Keynote (Mark J. Paterson) - youtube.com/watch?v=liBUmoAwsJ4
Noby Noby Boy Keita Takahashi Interview (sceablog) - youtube.com/watch?v=LbSDdQ08bfs
noby noby boy Takahashi interview 2 (Playstation Korea) - youtube.com/watch?v=cCwHyJaenO4
GameSpot @ GDC 09: Noby Noby Boy Interview (Gamespot) - youtube.com/watch?v=jBCBi5-nQMc
DOOM footage from NVIDIA - youtube.com/watch?v=anrvBD4aTGY ---
Intro text animation by Draz: twitter.com/DrazGames
youtube.com/channel/UCd3x2o76QHYNy4Vh6rkRtfg
Production work by Nico Bleackley
